2008 was a very fun year. Punctuated by the birth of my daughter in mid-May, some great riding was still had. I got out on a few great descents in the Cascades, with a few more planned before snow shuts things down. The Capitol Forest SuperD Series whet my appetite for more gravity-fed racing. We developed a pretty good formula for race prep and planning; we plan on continuing to be competitive. I cannot wait for next year.
2009 will include the full complement of Capitol Forest SuperD races (rumor of three races). Additionally, I am looking forward to participating in the Ashland SuperD - 12-miles & 5,000-ft sounds like the perfect recipe for fun on two wheels. With the increased popularity of the SuperD format, I hope to see a few more races pop onto the Pacific Northwest radar.
Cyclocross racing looks like a great way to get stronger, improve bike-handling skills, and get saddle time, so I'll be trying my hand at a few races this fall/winter.
My other goal for 2009 is to take the plunge on a downhill bike, and get some riding and racing under my belt. Adding the downhill discipline will provide more opportunites to race on two wheels.
The serious aspect of the Cascade Mountains lends itself to some stellar high alpine riding. Despite having ticked off some of the best, there are many more to look forward to. While some are worth repeating, there just is not time with so many great rides to do.